Bobbin-case latch for sewing-machines.



PATENTED PER 21, 1905.

E. L. BOWERS.

BOBBIN CASE LATCH FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLIOATION FILED 0013.17, 1903.

(In we 1-1 lot fimmdjLBoa/ers 1 3mm GU01) I UNTTEE STATES Patented February 21, 1 05.

PATENT OEETCE.

EDWARD L. BOWERS, OF ORANGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE NEW HOME SEWVING MACHINE COMPANY, OF ORANGE, MASSACHU- SETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

BOBBlN-CASE LATCH FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '7 83,097, dated February 21, 1905.

Application filed October 17,1903. Serial No. 177,412.

1'0 (/1 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. Bownns, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Orange, in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bobbin Case Latches for Sewing-lVIachines, of which the following is a specification.

In that class of sewing-machines employing 0 a rotary or oscillating shuttle the bobbin and bobbin-case are located in operative position within a seat or opening in the face side of the shuttle and are removably retained therein, so as to be capable of being readily removed for the purpose of resupplying the bobbin with thread or otherwise by means of a latch.

My present invention has for its object to provide an improved latch of thecharacter referred to which will be simple in construction and effective in operation; and to this end the invention consists in the novel features of construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter set forth in detail and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a face view of a shuttle-raceway frame'with a supported shuttle and bobbin-case and shows my improved bobbin-case latch in closed or operative position for retaining the bobbincase within the shuttle. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the bobbin-case latch in an open or inoperative position and the bobbin-case removed from the shuttle. Fig. 3 is an edge view of the parts, as shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings the shuttle-raceway frame 1, detached from its normal operative position beneath the bed-plate of a sewing machine, the rotary shuttle, 2, supported to operate within said raceway-frame, and the bobbincase 3,.supported within said shuttle, are all of usual construction and arrangement.

The bobbin-case 3 is adapted to be removably retained in a non rotatable position within the shuttle 2 by means of my improved latch, designated at 4. This latch is pivotally mounted upon the raceway-frame by a pivotscrew 5, so as to be movable to and from an operative position in front of the bobbin-case for removably retaining the latter within the shuttle and is also provided with a bifurcated portion 6 at its free end for loosely embracing a forwardly-projecting lip or flange 7 on the face of the bobbin-case and holding the latter against rotation, the space between the latch and the bobbin-case being suificient to permit of the free passage of the needle-thread loop in being carried around the bobbin to interlock with the under thread.

As a simple and effective means for locking the latch in its said operative position I have provided the same with a spring locking-arm 8, having a locking pin or projection 9 adjacent to its free end, which is adapted to effect locking engagement with a suitable stationary part, such as the frame 1, by entering a seat or opening 10 therein. When the said pin 9 of the locking arm 8 is seated within the opening 10, the latch will be locked in its operative position relatively to the bobbin-case, as shown in Fig. 1. When, however, it is desired to remove the bobbin-case from the shuttle, the operator will draw the free end of the lockingarm outwardly from the face of the frame 1 a sufficient distance to disengage the pin 9 from the opening 10, as shown in Fig. 3, and then swing the latch upon its pivot away from operative position in front of the bobbin-case, as shown in Fig. 2.

In order that the pin 9 of the locking-arm may be readily entered into its seat 10 in the frame 1 upon the closing of the latch, I have formed a notch'l2 in the outer edge of the frame 1 in a position in the path of movement of the pin 9, the lower wall of which notch is inclined and presents a cam-surface for engaging with the said pin 9 upon the closing of the latch and forcing the same outwardly as it is moved thereover until it reaches a position opposite the seat 10, into which latter it will then snap under the action of the spring-arm carrying thesame.

The spring locking-arm 8, as herein shown, is made integral with the latch, although it will be obvious that it might be formed in a separate piece and be suitably attached to the latch. As a convenient means for operating the locking-arm, both in swinging the latch upon its pivot and in withdrawing the pin 9 from locking position within the seat 10, I have provided the same with a small knob or handle 14 adjacent to its free end, which may be conveniently grasped by the operator.

What I claim is 1. In a sewing-machine, the combination with the shuttle and the bobbin-case, of a twoarmed bobbin-case latch mounted and operative upon a single pivot, one of the arms of said latch constituting the latch proper and being movable to and from an operative position for retaining the bobbin-case within the shuttle and the other arm being a spring locking-arm, and a stationary part having means for locking engagement with said lockingarm and with which locking engagement is effected by a movement of the locking-arm substantially at right angles to the normal path of movement of the latch-arm.

2. In a sewing-machine, the combination with the shuttle and with a bobbin-case having a projection on its face side, of a twoarmed bobbin-case latch mounted and operative upon a single pivot, one of the arms of said latch constituting the latch proper and being movable to and from an operative position for,retaining the bobbin-case within the shuttle and also having a bifurcated portion to receive the said projection on the bobbincase, and the other arm of said latch being a spring locking-arm, and a stationary part having means for locking engagement with said locking-arm and with which locking engagement is efiected by a movement of the locking-arm substantially at right angles to the normal path of movement of the latch-arm.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 30th day of September, A. D. 1903.

EDWARD L. BOWERS. WVitnesses:

CHAS. F. DANE, E. M. FAITH. 

